The UEFA Youth League domestic champions path kicks off with the first round first legs in the opening week of October as 32 contenders, including former winners Chelsea, begin their campaigns.
- First round over two legs on 2/3/4 & 23/24 October.
- Second round on 7 & 28 November: draw already made.
- Second-round winners meet UEFA Champions League path group runners-up in play-offs.
- Play-off winners join group winners in round of 16.
First round, first legs
Tuesday 2 October
Viitorul v Dinamo Zagreb*
Wednesday 3 October
Anderlecht v FC Admira*
Chelsea v Molde
Minsk v Illés Akadémia
Gabala v Sheriff Tiraspol
Dynamo Kyiv v Septemvri Sofia
Basel v Hamilton Academical
Sigma Olomouc v Maribor*
KR v Elfsborg
AEL Limassol v PAOK
Altınordu v HJK Helsinki
Anji v Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Midtjylland v Bohemians
Hertha Berlin v Lech Poznań
Žilina v Montpellier
Thursday 4 October
Astana v Vllaznia
Second legs 24 October exepct *23 October
Second round draw (7 & 28 November)
Anderlecht (BEL)/FC Admira (AUT) v Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)/Septemvri Sofia (BUL)
Midtjylland (DEN)/Bohemians (IRL) v Basel (SUI) v Hamilton Academical (SCO)
Altınordu (TUR)/HJK Helsinki (FIN) v Žilina (SVK)/Montpellier (FRA)
Elfsborg (SWE)/KR (ISL) v Chelsea (ENG)/Molde (NOR)
AEL Limassol (CYP)/PAOK (GRE) v Minsk (BLR)/ Illés Akadémia (HUN)
Gabala (AZE)/Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA) v Hertha Berlin (GER)/Lech Poznań (POL)
Astana (KAZ)/Vllaznia (ALB) v Viitorul (ROU)/Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Sigma Olomouc (CZE)/Maribor (SVN) v Anji (RUS)/Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
Domestic Champions path guide
- This path involves the domestic youth champions of the 32 best-ranked associations in the 2017 UEFA association coefficient rankings (the same rankings used to decide access to the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League).
- Vacancies in the domestic champions path (because a club is instead eligible for the UEFA Champions League path, for example Atlético and Inter) are filled by the domestic youth champion of the next best-ranked association (in the above cases, Moldova and Iceland).
- Chelsea, who won this competition in 2014/15 and 2015/16 but lost last season’s final to Barcelona, enter this path.
- Two-time semi-finalists Anderlecht keep up their record of entering all six editions.
- Debuts: AEL Limassol, Anji, Bohemians, FC Admira, Hamilton Academical, Hertha Berlin, Illés Akadémia, Lech Poznań, KR, Montpellier, Septemvri Sofia, Signa Olomouc, Žilina.
Road to Nyon
Play-offs
In the draw on 17 December, the eight Domestic Champions path survivors will be drawn at home to the eight UEFA Champions League path runners-up in one-off ties to be played on 12/13 February to decide the eight remaining round of 16 berths. The other eight places are taken by the UEFA Champions League path group winners.
Dates
Play-off draw: 17 December
Play-offs: 19/20 February
Knockout draw (round of 16 onwards): 22 February
Round of 16: 12/13 February
Quarter-finals: 2/3 April
Semi-final: 26 April, Nyon
Final: 29 April, Nyon
Be the first to comment